1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to buckets for excavation vehicles such as front-end loaders and, more particularly, to teeth and shrouds utilized with such buckets and the manner in which they are connected along a front lip of such a bucket.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Excavating buckets are used extensively in the construction and mining industries. The buckets are used with a variety of different excavating apparatus, such as backhoes, power shovels, front-end loaders, dragline equipment, etc. Although these buckets have many differences, they are generally formed with a rear wall, side walls, and a bottom wall. The walls cooperatively define an open front and a cavity for gathering earthen material and moving it to a dump site. The bottom edge of the open front is defined by a forward lip of the bottom wall. The lip is intended to engage the ground for collection of the material into the bucket cavity. The lip may be formed to have a linear or arcuate-shaped edge, or formed to have a particular configuration (such as V-shaped) to suit the desired operation. Similarly, the front edges of the side walls are also adapted to engage the ground.
Attachments are commonly mounted on the lip and the front edges of the side walls to increase the effectiveness and durability of the buckets. These attachments typically include teeth, shrouds and wings. The teeth project forwardly of the lip to disrupt the material for enhanced collection of the material into the cavity. The shrouds are positioned in between the teeth and are generally provided with an inclined surface to improve the collection of the material into the bucket. The wings are attached to the front edges of the side walls in general proximity with the lips. In any event, the attachments protect the bucket against undue wear. As a result, only the attachments normally need replacement when the front of the bucket becomes worn, thus prolonging the useable life of the larger and more expensive lip and side walls.
In general, a tooth comprises an adapter and a point. The adapter is attached to the lip and serves as a mount for the point. The point is a wear element and forms the forward portion of the tooth that engages the ground. The point may be attached to the adapter in a number of different ways. As a result of this two-part construction, replacement of only the point is generally needed when the tooth becomes worn.
Likewise, the shroud is a part that is subject to wear and therefore occasionally needs replacement. Typically, the shroud is mounted on the lip via a slot, which is normally an area of high stress concentration. Therefore, the slot can lead to cracking within the lip.
Accordingly, an excavation bucket assembly with an improved lip mounting for attachments such as shrouds, and having an improved connection for a point and an adapter to form a tooth, is needed.